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 Burnett held Detroit to two runs and seven hits in seven innings and
the Pirates hit four home runs to bury the Tigers 9-3.
"He navigated through a very tough lineup," Pirates manager Clint
Hurdle said. "He threw 24 of 29 first-pitch strikes.
"He moved the ball around, went in and out, up and down. It was a
really, really strong performance from him."
Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said, "He was hitting the outside corner
pretty consistently. Obviously, the big breaking ball is a good
pitch for him. He's really kind of retooled his whole approach to
pitching since the time I faced him a decade ago to the pitcher he
is now.
"He's much more of a control pitcher but still has the breaking ball
to get the swing and miss. He did a nice job. He's done a nice job
all year."
Pirates second baseman Neil Walker two home runs and had three RBIs
and left fielder Starling Marte and designated hitter Pedro Alvarez
also homered.
Tigers reliever Joba Chamberlain gave up three of the home runs, all
in the eighth as the Pirates' 6-2 lead expanded to 9-2.
"Those guys came out hungry," Burnett (7-3) said of the power
display. "It was good to see Pedro and Walker hit those home runs.
"It doesn't (make any difference to me). I program myself to pitch
like it's 0-0. I was trying to get strike one and then get back in
the dugout."
Right-hander Jared Hughes pitched the eighth for Pittsburgh and
right-hander Arquimedes Caminero worked the ninth, giving up catcher
James McCann's fourth home run of the season on his first pitch.
Walker's two-run homer came in the third and he bounced his sixth
home run of the season off the top of the left-field wall in the
eighth. Marte hit his 11th to left and Alvarez smashed his 11th
close to the brick wall in deep right center field.
Tigers right-hander Alfredo Simon (7-5) was erratic with his
split-finger fastball. He didn't walk a batter and struck out seven
but also gave up 15 of Pittsburgh's 21 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
"It was a little firm," Ausmus said of Simon's split-finger. "The
harder the split is, usually the less action it has on it downward."
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The Pirates erupted for seven hits and five runs in the third to
take a 5-1 lead.
Walker's first home run followed third baseman Josh Harrison's
double. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen singled, Alvarez doubled and
catcher Francisco Cervelli drove in a run with a groundout to
second.
Right fielder Gregory Polanco had with an RBI single and the fifth
run of the inning scored as Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias threw
wide for an error on shortstop Jordy Mercer's single to short.
"He didn't have his command," Ausmus said. "He escaped some jams.
The third inning was where they scored on him, but he was scuffling
to get outs. The silver lining is he gave us some innings on a day
we needed some innings."
Right-hander Al Alburquerque relieved Simon with two outs in the
sixth and threw a run-scoring wild pitch with runners on first and
third, putting the Pirates ahead 6-1.
Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes drove in a run in the bottom of
the sixth with a groundout that scored designated hitter Victor
Martinez from third. Martinez doubled with one out and advanced on
Burnett's wild pitch.
Detroit opened the scoring in the second on consecutive singles by
Cespedes, right fielder J.D. Martinez and third baseman Nick
Castellanos.
NOTES: Tigers RHP Alex Wilson got Wednesday off after throwing 57
pitches in 3 1/3 innings the previous night. He has now pitched in
every inning through 14 at some point this season. ... Pittsburgh's
17-9 June was the third-best record in baseball for the month. ...
Detroit RF J.D. Martinez has hit 43 home runs since making his
Tigers debut on April 21, 2014, with 20 coming in the seventh inning
or later. ... Burnett left Wednesday's start needing twos strikeouts
to pass LHP Jim Kaat (2,461) for the 35th highest total in major
league history.
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